ORF-E | In Production (Eyeing March 2024 completion)
1 x 52 min
Worldwide except for Germany and France

It is unimaginable, but they are real: lions, born in a sea of sand, that hunt along the ocean… The mystical shore of the Skeleton Coast, spanning hundreds of kilometres where the Namib blows into the Atlantic, is the backdrop to a story as surprising as it is inspiring: a true-life drama about resilience and survival, a coming-of-age story about three wild orphaned desert lion cubs in one of the deadliest places on Earth. The film follows their astonishing journey, from their first unsteady steps in the heart of the desert all the way to the hostile shores of the Skeleton Coast. In the darkness of night, the lionesses transform into the phantoms of the Skeleton Coast and hunt the lone seals that come to shore. With their regular visits to the ocean, and a diet that primarily consists of marine predators and water birds, these desert lions are now turning into true coastal lions. Where will their remarkable life take us? Acclaimed and award-winning filmmakers Will & Lianne Steenkamp have been following Dr. Philipp Stander and his desert lions for several years. Known for captivating story-telling and awe-inspiring images, this new Steenkamp masterpiece brings another unique tale of wildlife behaviour to international viewers.